Main menu

2011 Media Release: Details of Defence review announced

Date:

Tuesday 3 May 2011

The Australian Human Rights Commission is today announcing details of its Review into the Australian Defence Force.

The review will be a two stage process, beginning with the examination of the treatment of women in the Australian Defence Force Academy. The second phase will entail an assessment of the effectiveness of the Women’s Action Plan within the Australian Defence Force.

The methodology for the Review is currently being developed. It will be conducted with the intention of reporting to the Minister before the end of the year.

The review panel will be led by the Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick.

She will be joined by a small team of people who have expertise in gender relations, cultural change in male-dominated organisations, residential colleges in educational settings, developing respect and responsibility strategies in elite male sport, command and control environments, and an understanding of the challenges for women in military and policing environments.

The other members of the review panel are:

Dr Damian Powell, Principal of Janet Clarke Hall, a Residential College of the University of Melbourne. Dr Powell is also Chairman of the Heads of Colleges at the University of Melbourne and former National Secretary of University Colleges Australia. Dr Powell is an historian who has written on aspects of Australian military history.

Mr Mark Ney, a former Assistant Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police. Mr Ney has also had responsibility for the Police Training College and the Professional Standards Department. He was awarded the Australian Police Medal for his work in building cultural change within the Australian Federal Police.

Ms Sam Mostyn, a company board director, corporate adviser, and expert in cultural change programs in large organisations across the telecommunications, financial services and elite sport sectors. Ms Mostyn was the first woman to be appointed as a Commissioner with the Australian Football League in 2005, and has served on the Chief of Defence Force Women's Reference Group for the past 3 years.

It is anticipated that the review will accept public submissions from a date to be announced.

Further information is available on the Commission website, including full terms of reference.

As the review has now commenced, Commissioner Broderick will not be available for comment until other major announcements are made.